Amsel’s legal battle suddenly abandoned

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This article was published 08/07/2015 (3745 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

GUIDO Amsel suddenly surrendered in a messy five-year legal battle earlier this year, agreeing to pay his ex-wife more than $40,000 and withdrawing allegations she had stolen millions from him.

But the surprise concession — which came shortly after Amsel’s lawyer walked away citing a breakdown in their relationship — was allegedly no peace offering.

Instead, justice officials believe it was the beginning of something much more sinister.

Months later, Amsel is in custody on attempted murder and explosives charges after a series of bombs concealed inside audio recorders were sent through Canada Post to key parties involved in the ongoing court dispute.

Maria Mitousis, the lawyer who represented Amsel’s ex-wife, Iris Amsel, suffered massive injuries after the package she opened Friday morning blew up at Peterson King law office on River Avenue.

Iris escaped tragedy when the package destined for her was intercepted by police Saturday night at a business on Washington Avenue, owned by friends of hers.

Sarah McEachern, the lawyer who stopped representing Guido Amsel earlier this year, also avoided injury when police detonated a package inside her former law firm Sunday evening at Orle Bargen Davidson on Stradbrook Avenue.

Despite more than 20 other suspicious-package calls in the city since last Friday — and a warning from police other mail bombs could potentially be in transit — no other explosives have been found.

The Free Press reviewed the contents of the Amsels’ civil file Tuesday, which began in 2010 and remains before the courts. It shows how Guido and Iris agreed to dissolve their business partnership in 2008, five years after their marriage had fallen apart.

At first, it appeared to be a smooth breakup. Guido paid Iris $100,000 worth of shareholder loans she had in Euro-Tech Autobody on Springfield Road. He also wrote a promissory note for an additional $40,000 he owed her and vowed to pay her an equal share of any assets that were sold from the business. But that promissory note was never fulfilled, and Iris filed a civil lawsuit in 2010, asking a judge to order payment immediately.

“He has refused and/or neglected to pay,” her motion stated.

At the time of the filing, Guido and Iris were already five years into a divorce proceeding that had been amicable. But things turned nasty around this point as Guido suddenly accused Iris of stealing huge sums of money from their business. The claims were made in both the divorce file and the civil file through a statement of defence and counterclaim he filed against Iris.

“The plaintiff was wrongfully misappropriating and/or misdirecting cash and/or funds… for her own use and benefit,” Guido wrote in documents filed in 2011. He claimed some of the missing money had been sent by Iris to family members living in Germany.

Iris fired back with her own affidavit in early 2012, denying what she called “unfounded and untrue allegations of fraud and deceit.”

The case slowly proceeded through the system with no trial dates being set. Guido fired his first lawyer, then hired Sarah McEachern in 2013. But it’s clear things didn’t go well with her.

In September 2014, McEachern filed a motion against Amsel seeking to withdraw. She cited “a breakdown of the relationship between the law firm… and Mr. Amsel.”

Amsel was served with the motion, which was heard in court this past March 20. McEachern was formally off the case, and Amsel was suddenly acting as his own lawyer.

The file took another twist during a March 30 pretrial hearing before Queen’s Bench Justice Shawn Greenberg. On the other side of the legal table sat Maria Mitousis, on behalf of Iris.

Amsel did an about-face, admitting wrongdoing and dropping his own counterclaim against his ex-wife. He promised to hold an immediate auction of 23 pieces of property, mostly old vehicles, and give Iris the 50 per cent she was owed. He also conceded the $40,000 he had resisted paying her could be taken out of his half-share of the proceeds, plus interest.

Guido and Mitousis agreed to adjourn the case until September, where they were expected to return before a judge to finalize the matter. Mitousis said the only issue left to address, provided Amsel followed the promises he’d made, were legal costs.

An online notice shows the auction was set to be held this Saturday.

www.mikeoncrime.com

Mike McIntyre
Reporter

Mike McIntyre is a sports reporter whose primary role is covering the Winnipeg Jets. After graduating from the Creative Communications program at Red River College in 1995, he spent two years gaining experience at the Winnipeg Sun before joining the Free Press in 1997, where he served on the crime and justice beat until 2016. Read more about Mike.

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